This Time as Friends...

Written by Arti Cuno

"Just go away, Satoshi! I hate you! You'll never amount to anything! I don't need a baka like you holding ME back!"

Shigeru remembered that moment as if it was yesterday. It was two years ago now, the day he lost his friendship with Satoshi. But Satoshi didn't know the whole story behind the loss of their friendship, he never would as far as Shigeru thought. The moment played over in his head again, from the start of it all.

I remember it too well, like a haunting dream that won't go away, only it's reality. Shigeru though to himself, head hung as he sat fishing at the side of a pond. I had just left Grandpa's Lab after talking to him about how I hopped to be the best trainer ever, to make the name Ookido known all over and to maybe even make my family proud of me. As I left Satoshi was walking by talking with another boy who was supposed to start training too. I regret all I said now. I was just trying to act like I knew it all, but I don't.

Shigeru felt a tug on his rod and gave it a jerk to set the hook so he could reel in his catch. Eevee was frolicking about, chasing butterfree about, Arcanine was basking in the sun away from the water, and Nidoking sitting at his side watching his trainer fish. Shigeru was suddenly jerked forward as the catch pulled back almost pulling him into the water. Nidoking grabbed him and pulled him back to where he was, holding him tight so he didn't fly off again. Shigeru growled as he pulled back the rod as hard as he could without breaking it. After a few minutes of struggling, the pokémon was landed, an adorable Dratini. The Pokémon looked about stunned and confused.

"Eevee! Take it down!"

Eevee looked up from playing and locked eyes with the frightened dratini. The puppy broke into a run for the dragon, smashing into its side and throwing it further on land where it had less of a chance of getting away. The dratini wriggled about and attempted to get back to the water.

"No you don't!" Shigeru yelled, grabbing an empty pokéball. "You're mine!"

He hurled the pokéball at the dratini as hard as he could. The worm-like dragon squeeled and slammed the ball back at Shigeru, knocking him upside the head and making him go tumbling backwards, giving the dratini time to run away.

"Damn..." he cursed, face down in the dirt. "Today has been hell..."

Nidoking walked to Shigeru's side and lifted him to his feet. "Niii..." he groaned, looked at the dratini simming about in the middle of the pond. The dragon looked back and stuck out its tongue then went underwater, back to where it was safe.

Shigeru sighed and picked up his rod. "Time to go I guess, we'll try fishing somewhere else."

He bagan to walk along the riverside with his three pokémon in tow, his mind drifting back to his former friendship with Satoshi.

Flashback:

"Hey! Shigeru!" Satoshi called to his friend, waving. He ran over to him with another boy at his side. "What did Prof Ookido say about the pokémon he has ready for us? Do you know what one you want yet?"

Shigeru turned away and snorted. "Why would I tell you what I wanna get? You just want to out do me."

Satoshi's eyes widened, confused. "Shigeru? What's wrong? You know I wouldn't do that!"

He didn't reply right away, he didn't know how to at the time. "Nothing's wrong, baka!" he yelled, facing Satoshi, his eyes filled with hate. "Just go away, Satoshi! I hate you! You'll never amount to anything! I don't need a baka like you holding ME back!"

Shigeru ran off, leaving Satoshi confused and hurt. Satoshi thought Shigeru was just being mean, he didn't see the tears of hurt welling up in Shigeru's eyes as he ran off.

End Flashback

How could I be so stupid, my best friend, my only friend, lost over a stupid fight I started for no reason. I'm just jealous. I know he's better then me, he always will be, I'm the one who will amount to noth- "Huh?"

Shigeru snapped out of his thoughts and looked ahead of his. Kasumi was sitting on a log with Psyduck beside her, both of them fishing, even Satoshi's Pikachu was there. But Satoshi wasn't anywhere within sight. He looked about before going any closer, he didn't was Satoshi to see him nearly in tears. The past hurt just as much as the present did. Even when Shigeru had thought of appologizing, he ended up insulting Satoshi and pushing them further apart. It wasn't intentional, it was habbit now. He was expected to act like a jerk, so he did.

Kasumi's head turned as the bitch-tini Shigeru had hooked before popped out of the water making noise and acting sweet and innocent. Shigeru glared in it's direction, almost ready to run into the water and tie it in a knot and feed it its own tail. Nidoking shook its head while Eevee began to bark at the dragon. It pulled down an eyelid with its tail, stuck out its tongue again, and swam off.

Kasumi was looking at Shigeru when he finally looked back in her direction. "What are YOU doing here?!" she snapped, throwing her rod to the ground. "You scared away that dratini I could have caught!!"

Shigeru put on his usual smirk though his real feelings were the oposit extream of what he was showing. "Heh, what makes you think you could get it?" he pointed to the bump on his head. "That thing smashed me good with my own pokéball."

"You probably deserved it!" Kasumi shot back, shaking a fist in rage.

"What makes you say that? You're the weird one who's in love with Satoshi, the biggest loser alive!"

Kasumi pulled her fist back and knocked Shigeru on the other side of his head leaving him with a bump on either side. He dropped to the ground holding his head, looking at the ground. Kasumi blinked. "I didn't hit you that hard, did I?" she now seemed concered for Shigeru even if she dispised him. He lifted head head, glaring at her even if he looked to be teary eyed.

"Why'd you go and do that!?" he snapped, the hit bring back memories of how he had to deal with his mother doing that all the time. I can't let them see me crying. he told himself, forcing the tears back, I can't let anyone see me crying. They'll call me weak nd worthless like Satoshi...

He stopped in mid thought, "like Satoshi"... He was condeming his former friend again without stopping to think.

As if on queue, Satoshi came running from the bushes with Chikorita at his side, jumping about, "We beat you Takeshi!" he called back into the woods, obviously coming back from a foot race with Takeshi who was finally catching up with vulpix at his side. Satoshi's joy came to a smashing hult as he caught a glimpse of Shigeru, he stopped dead in his trail and looked at him. "Shigeru..."

Shigeru didn't reply, he simply crossed his arms and looked away. "So, Satoshi. You've actually made it this far, I'm shocked. Didn't think you'd make it past the first battle actually." I'm doing it again...

"I've made it perfectly fine!" Satoshi snapped, turning just as mean as Shigeru was being. "I thought you'd be back still whining over your loss!"

"ONE loss out of hundreds of battles!!!" Why can't I stop...

"Well, I win most of my battles and don't whine when I lose! I try again like a normal person would!"

"NORMAL!? You?! Ha! Don't make me laugh, Satoshi!" I know I'm hurting him...

"What's wrong with you?"

"You, Satoshi! I hate you! You'll never amount to anything!..." The past is repeating itself....

"Shigeru..."

The two boys sat, staring at one another, Satoshi fell silent as Shigeru began to cry. Kasumi and Takeshi left the two alone, Kasumi beating Psyduck over the head then dragging the quacking fool off. The other pokémon left the scene other then Pikachu and Eevee who each went to their Trainers, trying to comfort them.

"You know..." Shigeru choked, sniffling. "You know, I never meant any of that..."

Satoshi looked blankly at his rival. "I didn't mean what I said either."

There was a pause as they looked at one another, not knowing where to pick up. Eevee leaned her head on her trainer's leg while Pikachu climbed up to his trainer's shoulder. "I've never meant anything I've said bad about you, Satoshi..." Shigeru admitted. "Even when I first told you I hated you." Satoshi still didn't say anything, he simply listened, shocked that everything was coming into the open. "I'm was scared you'd end up better then me, and you did."

Satoshi shook his head. "Thats not true. You're better then me. You have more badge, you have more pokémon. I'm jealous of you, you being better drives me to continue and try to match your talents."

Shigeru's eyes went blank. Satoshi thought like he did, each though the other better, each scared the other would be better, the fear and yerning for perfection tore them appart.

"I'm sorry, Satoshi...."

"I'm sorry too Shigeru..."

Another uneasy pause came over them. Shigeru turned away. "I should go..."

Satoshi nodded, although Shigeru couldn't see it, he knew he did. "Maybe we'll meet again in the Jouta League, this time as friends." Satoshi said as Shigeru left. He stopped and turned around, smiling, something Satoshi hadn't seen since they'd became trainers.

"You bet." he smiled, walking off, their friendship renewed.